Audio files are a common product in today's market. Since the advent of methods to capture audio media, users have become enthralled with the idea of changing those files to make them sound better, louder, more realistic, or even distorted. This interest has resulted in the creation of systems for audio file mixing and layering.
Audio file mixing and layering devices are frequently used in the music media industry for purposes of creating a finished audio file product. Furthermore, audio files generated from the aforementioned mixing and layering devices may be incorporated or integrated into various additional audio-visual applications, such as film, television, video games, advertising, and additional works that may use audio mixing and layering devices. The automation of this process has become popular and useful for enhancing sound file generation efficiency. A consumer need for more original, customized content has continued to drive the development of additional devices that accomplish the task of audio file generation.
U.S. Published Patent Application No. 2010/0145794 to Barger et al. discloses an on-demand media processing engine for delivering files to a user terminal. It allows a user to select media content to be downloaded to a user terminal. The engine then selects a piece of advertisement media for the user to consume as ell. The Barger '794 device then delivers the file to the end user.
While the Barger et al. '794 application delivers composite media, there is no mixing or layering. The invention of the Barger et al. '794 application simply splices requested preexisting media to a piece of advertisement media for end user consumption. The Barger et al. '794 application provides no customized composite content.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,734,364 to Wesemann et al. discloses creation of a single composite media file from multiple preexisting files for use as an exercise routine. The invention of the '364 Wesemann et al. patent allows a trainer or expert to select files that would create an ideal workout routine and mix them together in order to create a product for an end user.
According to the Wesemann et al. '364 patent, the composite file is customized. Criteria for customization, however, is neither chosen by the end user nor customizable on-demand. The Wesemann et al. '364 patent still leaves a need for content that can be customized on-demand by and for an end user.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,869,892 to Foust et al. discloses a system that allows editing of media files into a single layered file. A user may call up any number files to be layered together, which are then still moveable and editable until rendering. On rendering, the multiple files become a single layered file, and individual layer editing is locked.
While the Foust et al. '892 patent does allow editing, it does not allow for true automation of the editing. The invention of the Foust et al. '892 patent merely describes an editing platform, rather than an automated editor. Content may be customized, but with a considerable amount of work on the part of the user. Further, the Foust et al. '892 patent does not allow for automatic drawing of source files from a preexisting set.
U.S. Published Patent Application No. 2010/0211199 to Naik et al. discloses playing back primary and secondary media files. Essentially, a user may call two files, which may be played back simultaneously. The invention of the '199 Naik et al. application can then fade, cross fade, or duck either of the two files as the user wishes.
While the '199 Naik et al. application, discusses fading, cross fading, and ducking of the two files, it does not provide for complex mixing and editing. Further, the two files may not be merged into a single media output file. Generally speaking, the Naik et al. '199 application simply provide playback of multiple media sources without the ability to dynamically create custom, on-demand content.
There exists a need for a product that provides the ability to automatically create original, on-demand custom media file content by mixing and layering multiple media file sources from a source library to create a single composite file for delivery to a user terminal.